The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was passed in 1996 to provide protections for personal health information. It established rules regarding the use and disclosure of medical records and health information. HIPAA regulates how consumer information can be shared, provides the right to access personal medical records, and enforces penalties for violations. As technology advances, continued challenges around health information security and integrating new regulations will be an ongoing priority to ensure patient privacy is upheld.